Oklahoma boy, 2, faces 22nd brain surgery

Operation scheduled for Tuesday

Doctors at Children's Hospital will perform surgery on Paxton Akins' brain on Tuesday. It will be the 2-year-old Oklahoma boy's 22nd surgery.

Paxton was born prematurely, over three months early. He was only about as big as an adult's hand and weighed 1 pound 10 ounces, but he beat the odds and survived.

"It was only a 10 percent chance at the time that he would make it," said Brianne Akins.

Now at almost 3-years-old, he is once again fighting for survival. Akins has spent every moment of the past two weeks watching over her son's hospital bed.

"He's the happiest kid alive," said Akins.

After three months in the neo-natal intensive care unit Paxton went on to lead a normal life, but after his first birthday his mom said she noticed something was wrong. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and doctors found a cyst in the back of his head.

"It's just so hard," said Akins.

Paxton's brain has been operated on 21 times.

"He always looks at me and kind of grins like, 'Yeah, I got this mom,'" said Akins.

She said she is optimistic about his Tuesday surgery.

"I am excited but I'm nervous at the same time," said Akins. "It's going under anesthesia and cutting into him, but we are hopeful that this is the end of it."

Akins said their journey has been difficult, but also rewarding.

"You learn not take anything for granted," said Akins. "It's the best feeling you know to look at your child and have them look at you and get excited to see you."

Akins said she refuses to let Paxton celebrate another holiday in a hospital bed and plans to have him home by his birthday.

Paxton's family has set up a website for him. They are asking people to share their well wishes, prayers or donations. Paxton's mom said their biggest goal is to get him ready to go to pre-school next year.